Trusted
by ephemereis
Summary: -HPFC- When Sirius convinces the Potters to make Peter their Secret-Keeper, he sets into motion a chain of events with a tragic ending nobody expected - except Peter, that is.


A/N: This was for Rosa Clearwater's 'Two Books, hundred of quotes' challenge. My assigned quote was 'He came last night, when you were in bed'. I've been quite busy, so I wasn't able to finish it on time, but RC very kindly allowed an extension :D Please R&R (and suggest improvements)!

'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Lily picked up a wailing baby Harry from his crib and pushed a milk bottle into his tiny mouth. The crying ceased immediately as Harry started sucking with a vengeance. The little eyes closed and his expression was fierce and yet peaceful at the same time. Lily beamed, and looked up to see James grinning at him too. She felt like she could watch him sucking the bottle forever but he finished the milk far too quickly. Harry was a perfect little thing, probably the only thing that kept them from unraveling in these dark times.

"You Marauders haven't met up in quite a while, have you?" Lily asked as she burped the baby.

"They came by - well, Sirius did, anyway - he came last night, when you were in bed. Just passed me a letter and Disapparated immediately. I thought I'd read it with you..." James picked up an envelope from the bedside table, tore it open, and handed the letter to Lily.

"That's unusual," Lily looked puzzled as she put Harry back in his crib . "Why didn't he just owl it?"

"Maybe he missed me too much!" James joked, running his fingers through his messy black hair. "Maybe he got sick of looking at me in photographs and was desperate to savour the sight of my handsome face!"

Lily smiled. Smoothing out the parchment on the bed, she beckoned for James to come closer.

* * *

><p><em>To Lily and James-<em>

_You're probably wondering why I didn't just owl this. I didn't want an owl post to be intercepted, because that would have utterly defeated the purpose of writing a letter instead of talking to you in person. You must not let anyone know about this._

_Dang, this letter feels so formal._

_The thing is, I think it's probably really obvious to You-Know-Who and whoever else thinks about it that I'm your Secret Keeper. I've been your best friend your whole life, I'm not trying to boast or anything - at least, I don't think so - who else would you choose, right? Yeah, that's probably what You-Know-Who will think too. I've been thinking...you should take up Dumbledore's offer. He's probably just as obvious, I don't know, but he's so much more powerful. _

_Or if you want to stick to us Marauders, I think you should choose the least obvious. Someone who was never really _that_ close to you, someone who just followed us around and laughed at things we laughed at and basked in the remains of our glory. I'm not naming anyone but certainly you know who I'm talking about. He was never exactly good at defending himself - remember that time with Avery and Rosier? - and I'm sorry to say I used to find him kind of wimpy. That's the genius in it - the Death Eaters will probably find him too much a pathetic, sorry excuse to ever be James Potter's Secret Keeper. They'd never guess.  
><em>

_So naturally they'll come after me or Moony or Dumbledore, and you can be sure we'll never tell them.  
><em>

_Of course I'm still hoping you'll choose me - I wasn't your best friend all these years for nothing, Prongs! - but really, do take a moment to consider this...siriusly._

_I never thought I'd say this but please, stay safe._

_-Padfoot_

_p.s. Say hello to my little godson for me!_

* * *

><p>Lily and James stared at the letter a little longer, taking in the seriousness (siriusness!) of their situation. Finally, with a wry look at James, Lily crushed the piece of parchment and shuffled out of the bedroom.<p>

"I'm going to burn it, so nobody will ever know about this..."

"Wait!" James followed her. "Sirius hasn't written in such a long time...surely we could keep this? Just one?"

"If somebody finds it..."

"I'm sure nobody will figure it out. Sirius used all our Marauder codenames, didn't he? Well, except for yours and mine - but they'd know who we are anyway."

"Please, James. It's dangerous." Lily's pleading green eyes looked into James' hazel ones.

James shrugged. He was once a carefree wild spirit who couldn't care less what kind of danger he landed himself in. However, things had changed. He now had a wife and a son, and his family was being pursued by the Dark Lord himself. He could not afford to be careless.

He sighed wearily.

"I guess."

"Thank you, darling." Lily pecked him on the forehead. "I know you'd like to keep it. I do too. I'm sorry." She tossed the crumpled ball into the fire.

James didn't reply. They stood in silence, watching the flames devour Padfoot's letter.

When all that remained of it were flecks of ash that were crumbling into nothingness, James slumped into a chair.

"So...we've agreed that we don't want Dumbledore as our Secret-Keeper."

"Not to mention Sirius has an impressive argument on why we should get Peter."

"Couldn't we get Remus instead?" Lily wondered aloud. "I mean, he wouldn't be the most obvious choice either, and at least he can defend himself..."

"But nobody would ever suspect Peter, would they?" James countered. "He can't even cast most of the basic defensive charms, who in their right mind would make him a Secret Keeper?"

Lily narrowed her eyes in mock offense. "Are you saying we're not in our right minds?"

Her husband chuckled. "No, that's just me. You've always been in your right mind." He stood up to embrace her, allowing her delicate fragrance to infiltrate his nostrils. Time seemed to disappear, taking all his worries along, and he lightly kissed the crown of her head as she snuggled in, resting her head on his shoulder. For a brief moment, all was good and right in the world.

And then Lily, ever so practical, lifted her head and looked at James. "So, Sirius or Remus or Peter?"

"Peter."

James saw the annoyance and worry that darted through Lily's eyes, but she said, "If you trust him, I do too."

This must be why James loved her.

'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`

A/N: How was it? Good? Bad? Any extra, out-of-place or lacking parts? I'd like to follow it up soon, all the way to the day they died.


End file.
